Cigarettes, beer and junk food dominate big supermarket brand list

SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – The Dutch are spending more money on branded goods in supermarkets, but cigarettes, junk food and beer dominated the list of top 10 brands according to research by IRI and published by RTL Nieuws.

In total, sales of the biggest 100 brands in the Netherlands rose by 2.5%. Top of the big brand list is Marlboro with sales of €455m, followed by Coca-Cola on €300m and dairy group Campina on €265.5.

‘Other tobacco brands have also grown but this is largely due to price increases and taxes,’ IRI spokesman Sjanny van Beekveld told RTL. ‘But people also tend to buy tobacco products in supermarkets because they are open longer.’

Snack food group Lay’s was the biggest gainer in the top 10 with sales up 24% following the introduction of new crisp varieties.

Despite the focus on unhealthy products, Van Beekveld did say that traditional Dutch desert companies such as Mona, Danoontje and Paula are sliding down the top 100.

‘People are being told how much sugar is in products and that they are not always healthy,’ RTL quoted him as saying. (DutchNews)